1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a mounting arrangement for the air cleaner of the internal combustion engine of a vehicle, where the air cleaner includes a casing and a pot-shaped housing that accommodates a filter element.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,006,000 shows an air cleaner with a generally cylindrical housing and a tangential raw air inlet. The housing encloses a filter element through which air flows radially. The housing itself can be attached by a bayonet lock to a cylindrical intake air collector. A safety shield is located in this intake air collector to prevent entry of dust and dirt into the intake air duct during replacement of the filter element. The safety shield is sealed against the filter element by moving the filter element axially in the direction of the safety shield with an adjusting screw after engaging the bayonet lock, so that the end face of the filter element is brought into contact with the end face of the safety shield. This axial movement simultaneously secures the bayonet lock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,557 describes an intake air cleaner for an internal combustion engine in which a filter element is arranged in a pot-shaped housing. The end face of the housing can be brought into contact with an attaching device that carries a locking arrangement. To secure the housing to the attaching device the locking ring is rotated and engages with sliding surfaces behind cams extending from the housing in the manner of a bayonet lock.
Problems can arise in the course of assembling the air cleaners described above during fastening of the housing to the casing. The bayonet lock requires exact alignment of the housing and casing before the bayonet lock is secured by rotation. Only if both components are aligned with each other and brought into contact without any angularity can the bayonet lock be secured without problems.